Breakfast in the Garden

by Yael Lachman | published on Apr 22, 2025

The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:12 (NRSV) 

In the beginning, there was a patch of bare earth. It lay between the sanctuary and the parking lot, its dry soil compacted over the years by scores of trampling feet. Then one day, a gardener stood before the congregation and shared her vision of peas and carrots and fruiting vines. After worship, the gardener wove among the coffee hour crowd, inviting folks to join her on that patch of earth. And so they came, every Tuesday, carrying spades and drip hoses and big jugs of lemonade.  

Then came the Sunday school kids. Each week, they walked from their classroom to that patch of earth. First, they visited the worms in the compost bin, offering snacks of strawberry hulls and moldy grapes. Next, they poked tiny seeds into the freshly turned soil and marked the rows with popsicle sticks. Then they sat down to hear the ancient stories: stories about the first garden, where there were fruits and seeds enough for all; stories about the ancestors who left part of their harvest in the field, so that all who were hungry could come and glean. When the kids broke and shared a loaf of bread, they left big crumbs on the ground for the blue jays to find.  

And then, one Sunday in April, they all gathered for breakfast on that patch of earth: the gardener and her helpers, the Sunday school kids and grownups, the college students and curious neighbors. Together, they feasted and sang, giving thanks for that garden and for all who had helped it grow. Over on the Sunday school picnic blanket, a hand waved up with a question: “Can we do this every day?”  

Prayer
Holy One, this day and every day, make us a blessing to all who dwell in the garden of Earth.

Yael LachmanAbout the Author
Rev. Yael Lachman is a UCC minister and artist who leads contemplative retreats, art adventures, and worship for all ages, most often in wild places. You can find Yael here.